Back in the Day
by LovinHueyFreeman
Summary: Of the billions of human beings residing on this Earth, not one of them is perfect. No one is without flaw. Everyone makes mistakes... Who said that Huey Freeman would be any exception?


**A/N: **Hey, guys! I was so unbelievably disappointed in the lack of Juey in season 4 that after over a year-long hiatus, a giant burst of writing motivation punched me in the soul. I am extremely sorry for being away for so long, but personal stuff combined with an era of Aaron-less Boondocks definitely took its toll on me. Endless thanks to those who have kept up with me in my absence. You guys are the best.

The idea for this story stemmed from a combination of personal experiences mixed with several months of watching and re-watching classics like _Love & Basketball _and _My Best Friend's Wedding. _I'm a sucker for movies like these. But anyways, enjoy :)

* * *

**Prologue**

_Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop._

Raindrops slapped against the windowpane in a seemingly rhythmic pattern. Huey leaned back in his black, leather computer chair, listening. It had been raining in Chicago for almost three days straight, and Mother Nature didn't seem to have any intent on letting up. He had long given up any hopes of getting any _real _work done on his new case, choosing instead to listen in silence to the musical rainfall.

_Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. _

He closed his eyes with a sigh, still listening. Most days, he loved the rain. It was calming, soothing even. These sounds were included on a relatively small list compiled of simple things that truly relaxed Huey Freeman. But after three days of sitting at home, literally getting _nowhere _as far as freeing his new young defendant was concerned, he was beginning to find the rain a bit... distracting. Shaking his head, he slowly rolled his chair back up to his desk, glancing at the documents spread about. After moments of attempting to rule out incriminating evidence, Huey groaned. He couldn't do this. How in the hell was he supposed to concentrate with all of this annoying rain surrounding him?

_Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop._

He _couldn't, _that's how. Beginning to except that he may very well lose this case, he decided to give all thoughts work-related a much needed rest for the day. He glanced down at his wristwatch. It was a quarter until nine. He hadn't eaten all day and noticing the time made him suddenly realize just how hungry he actually was. Maybe he'd order some take out...

_Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop._

Scratch that. He had to get out of his house before he completely lost his mind. He had to go somewhere else, _anywhere _else. His sanity depended on it. And in no time at all, he was sitting in his car. He wasted no time, immediately starting the engine and backing down his driveway. Before he turned on to the main road, something at the end of his driveway caught his eye. It was his mailbox, and it appeared to be bursting at the seams with envelopes. When was the last time he checked the mail? He couldn't remember, but he knew it had to have been a few weeks. Rolling down the driver's side window, Huey opened his mailbox and retrieved his mail. He tossed it into the passenger seat and headed on into the city. After all, he was pretty hungry.

* * *

A few hours passed and by the time Huey returned to his home, it was still raining. He slightly slammed the front door shut, taking extra care to lock it since you never know in Chicago. He wasn't exactly looking forward to going to bed only to wake up and do the same thing all over again, but his eyes were feeling a little heavy. Removing his jacket, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something. What was he forgetting? Oh, right. The mail. He ran back to his car, grabbing the mail off of the seat and, once again, shutting himself up inside.

He started flipping through the behemoth stack, wondering how it slipped his mind for so long to check the damn mail. The first envelope was nothing but his electric bill, so he tossed it on to the kitchen table. He'd get to that later. The second was more of a flyer than an envelope, promising that God surely hates all who do not profess their love to Him via repentance. He also tossed this one aside, simply because he didn't even want to go there today. The third one, however, provoked an elongated stare from the former revolutionary. The sender address was one with which he was very familiar with. This envelope had come from Woodcrest.

Had he known at this time of the insane amounts of turmoil, sacrifice, and utter stupidity that this one tiny envelope would eventually ensue upon him, he might have actually burned it right then and there.

It was from Jazmine.

He froze, staring blankly at the envelope in question. He hadn't spoken to Jazmine DuBois since the last time he was home. And he hadn't been back to his grandfather's house in Woodcrest in years... _eight_ years to be exact. He never wanted to go back. He simply could not go back throughout the years. Not while she was there, complicating things. And the last time the two former best friends spoke _had_ been one complicated instance, indeed.

* * *

_This was Huey's absolute favorite view in the entire world. From this magnificent hill lying on the outskirts of suburban Woodcrest, he could see everything. He could see the Bay Bridge. He could see the twinkling lights of Ocean City. If he looked long enough, he could even make out the boats floating along the Baltimore Harbor, right here on this hill. It relaxed him._

_He was sitting with knees bent, back resting against the trunk of his favorite Oak tree. It was a cool night in August, so the blades of grass beneath his fingers felt almost wet to the touch. Resting beside him, in a position that just about mirrored his own, was quite possibly his favorite person in the world. His best friend. Only, while he was looking out at the city, she was looking at him. _

_"Jazmine," Huey started, his gaze remaining on the view. _

_"Yeah?" she prompted._

_"Why are you staring at me?" He noted over the years that she did this often. Very often. If he didn't say anything, she would literally sit and stare at him for hours. _

_"I'm not staring at you, Huey Freeman," she protested. He could hear a small smile creep into her voice as she said it. _

_He finally tore his eyes away from the harbor to look at her, and she was, nonetheless, still staring at him. "It sure looks like you are," he replied._

_She rolled her eyes before resting them, once again, on him. "Hey, Huey?"_

_He raised a brow at her. "Yeah?"_

_"Shut up." _

_He smirked, turning his head back to his amazing view of Maryland. "What's with you?" he asked after a few moments of silence. "You're staring a lot more than usual."_

_Jazmine sighed, her eyes never leaving his face. "It's just that... it's just that I'll..."_

_Huey waited patiently. He knew she'd speak her mind when she was good and ready. _

_"I'll... really miss you. When you leave, I mean." _

_He nodded in response. He was leaving the following day to attend college in Chicago, while she'd be staying close to Maryland. He knew this was coming at some point that night, he just didn't know when. _

_Jazmine was standing now, pacing back and forth. "What if I need you?" she asked abruptly, her voice shaken with fear._

_Huey raised his brow. "What are you talking about?"_

_"You won't be here anymore!" she exploded. "You won't be right across the street! What if somebody breaks into my house while mommy and daddy are away? Who will I call?"_

_He snorted at her ridiculous analogy. They lived in Woodcrest. People didn't do that around there. "I don't know... maybe, the police?" _

_"It's not funny Huey!" she shot him an angry look. "The point is, you've always been there when I needed you. You never let me down. You always protect me! What if I need you?!" _

_Huey could see she was getting hysterical. He rose to his feet and grabbed her shoulders, preventing her from continuing her insane pacing. "Jazmine," he started. "Calm down."_

_"Calm down?" She looked at him like he was crazy. "How can I calm down? What if I never see you again!" her eyes filled with tears. _

_"Listen to me," Huey sighed, looking away from her eyes. It was his mission to make her cry on a daily basis once upon a time, but now, her tears did something to him. They effected him in ways he couldn't explain. He wanted to do everything in his power to get her to stop crying. Both hands still placed firmly on her shoulders, he shook her gently once again meeting her sparkling-from-crying green eyes. He held her gaze for a while before he spoke. "You don't have to worry about all that, okay? You're being ridiculous." _

_She frowned at him, uncertain of his words. "How do you know?"_

_"Because," he spoke slowly to get his message to sink in her irrational brain. "If you ever need me, all you have to do is call."_

_"But what if I don't hear from you? What if I never see you again?" _

_"Of course you'll see me again, don't be dumb." He rolled his eyes. "Chicago isn't that far away. I'll be home for all your pagan holidays, alright?" _

_Jazmine sniffled, pouting. "You promise?"_

_Huey sighed. He watched a tear creep out of the corner of her eye and slowly start its descent down her cheek. He hated the thing. It made him feel... weird. He removed one of his hands from her shoulders and swiped the offending thing off of her face. "Yeah, yeah," he responded lazily. This whole stupid conversation was getting boring._

_Jazmine smiled, catching his hand before he could completely remove it. She gingerly placed his hand back upon her cheek. She took her other hand and rested it lightly upon his cheek as well. "Okay," was all she said. After a few seconds her eyes fluttered shut. She leaned in, slowly, gently, her face inching closer towards his._

_Huey frowned. What was she doing? His eyes widened when he realized what it was that she was doing. "Jazm-" he started to object, but his protests were cut off by the feel of her lips pressed against his. Her lips were soft. And sweet, too; he could taste her mango Chapstick. After the initial shock of the action passed over him, it started to feel... good. Really, really good. _

_By now, he was kissing her back. Each kiss more hungry than the last. Her kisses sent an indescribably incredible sensation through his body. Sure, he's kissed girls before. But none ever felt so shocking. He could literally feel shock waves shoot through his body. It was electric. He wanted more of this sensation. He craved more. He needed more._

_It took him a moment to open his eyes after she pulled away. There was a reddish tint to her cheek and she was smiling, eyes still shut. Her smile was so beautiful. Had she always been this damn beautiful? He didn't know, nor did he care. He just wanted to kiss her again. More than anything he'd ever wanted in his life, he wanted to feel that sensation again. He closed his eyes and leaned in again... and stopped. _

_What was he doing? This was Jazmine. Jazmine DuBois. He didn't have thoughts like this about Jazmine. He couldn't. She was his friend. His closest friend, at that. He shouldn't be craving her kisses. He couldn't be. He wouldn't. Huey glanced down, noticing his best friend's soft, pink lips were a mere centimeter or so away from his. In a panic, he turned his head to the side, allowing her to plant her lips against his cheek. That was normal, right? Friends kissed each other on the cheek all the time._

_Jazmine opened her eyes, her smile wide as ever. Before Huey could think of anything to say, she said the very last thing he expected to hear her say. "I love you, Huey Freeman," she said. _

_He froze. What? Love? They were just friends. She couldn't love him. At least, not in the way she clearly meant. He couldn't love her back. It wasn't supposed to be like that. It was impossible. Huey wasn't even quite sure if he know what love was, outside of the love he had for his little family. He didn't know how to love. He figured that was why relationships never worked out in his favor. He felt a strange pang in his chest and he didn't know what it meant. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. He didn't like the crippling feeling of not knowing things. It made him uneasy, uncomfortable. He felt a sudden strong urge to flee. "I... I, uh..."_

_Jazmine frowned now, sensing his discomfort. She raised a comforting hand to him, gently rubbing his back. _

_Huey momentarily closed his eyes. It wasn't supposed to feel that good. It couldn't. They were just friends... but, it just felt so good... He snapped his eyes open. He had to leave. He had to get away from her, away from these crazy thoughts. "I gotta go," was the last thing he said before he ran down the hillside, leaving the puzzled mulatto standing on the hill all alone._

* * *

The memory left a bittersweet ache in his entire being. He was only eighteen years old then. How was he supposed to know what the hell love was? What would he have done if he had known? Would he have stayed? Would he have returned her phone calls and text messages instead of ignoring them in the aftermath? What was the 'right' thing to do in that situation? What if Jazmine hadn't ever made her stupid proclamation of love for him? Would they still be friends today? Would he be happily settled down by now? Would he have come home sometimes? He was twenty-six years old, and he still didn't know the answers to these questions. He sighed. He still wasn't entire sure how he felt about her, either. And he hated thinking about it. It left him with questions he couldn't answer and unfinished thoughts he simply didn't know how to complete. It frustrated him, not knowing things. Huey didn't often think about the 'what-ifs,' being as they're unproductive. It doesn't really matter what he would have hypothetically done differently given the chance to go back, because at the end of the day he _can't _go back. What's done is done.

Shaking off the annoying thoughts that crept into his mind, he decided he should probably open the envelope. There were two objects inside. One being a handwritten letter... the other being an invitation to her wedding.

Wait... _what?_

His eyes scanned over the details, and then once more for accuracy. Jazmine DuBois was getting married in exactly twenty-three days.

A strange feeling came over him and he couldn't quite place it. In shock and completely unsure of how to think, he read over her letter.

_Huey,_

_It's been some time, hasn't it? A lot has changed since we saw each other last. The main thing, of course, being that I'm getting married! Who would've thought? I'm writing not only to invite you, but because I would simply love to see you, as soon as possible. You've been on my mind a lot lately and nothing would make me happier than seeing your face around here again. Please, come home soon? I could really use your advice, support and your company. I guess you could say that I miss my dearest friend. _

_Love, _

_Jazmine _

Huey stood in the middle of his kitchen, unmoving. Unblinking.

He wondered what bad could possibly follow if he decided to commit Japanese ritual suicide.

* * *

**A/N: **Aaaaaaand here's the beginning. This is coming along so effortlessly. It's probably my favorite piece of work. What do you guys think? What's gonna happen next? What do you guys think of season 4? *vomits uncontrollably* I'm gonna dedicate this introduction to **Schweetpea**. Happy belated birthday, girl! Love ya!

**Aye, you! Drop me a reviewwwww :)**


End file.
